Combined headpiece and catapult



Aug. 28, 1956 M. A. cl-uRco ET AL 2,760,304

COMBINED HEADPIECE AND CATAPULT Filed Dec. 31, 1954 United rates Patent COMBINED HEADPIECE AND CATAPULT Michael A. Chirco, Rochester, and Harry T. Green, Newark, N. Y.

Application December 31, 1954, Serial No. 479,000

1 Claim. (CI. 46-81) The present invention relates to a miniature aircraft catapulting device attachable to a toy article.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a miniature aircraft catapulting device which is adaptable for attachment to a headpiece.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a miniature aircraft catapulting device which is simple in structure, and which is highly effectual in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view in elevation of the present invention as worn upon the head of a youth,

Figure 2 is a side view in cross-section, and

Figure 3 is a front view partially in cross-section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the device of the present invention is seen to be applied to a cap or headpiece 10, such device comprising a support 11 which has its lower end conformably shaped to fit the top of the headpiece and disposed exteriorly of the headpiece 1% intermediate the boundaries of the headpiece 10.

The support 11 is formed with a longitudinally arranged channel extending from the front end to the back end, the channel being indicated by the reference numeral 12 in both of Figures 2 and 3.

A flat leaf spring 13 is disposed within the channel and extends from adjacent the rear end to adjacent the front end, the rear end 14 of the spring being anchored in the support 11, and the front end 15 of the spring normally projecting upwardly out of the channel 12.

The invention further provides a body 16 which simulates an aircraft having a fuselage portion 17 and wings 18 and 19. The underside of the fuselage 17 adjacent the front end of the body 16 is provided with an upwardly extending recess 20 into which fits the front end 15 of the leaf spring 13. At the rear end of the body 16 adjacent to a simulated tail portion 21 is formed an upwardly extending slot extending from each side of the body 16, the slot being indicated by the reference numeral 22 in Figures 1 and 2.

A flexible resilient member 23 is provided and has each of its ends secured by means of the bolts 24 to the support 11 and is receivable at its midsection within the slot 22 to form a launching means by means of which the body 16 is cast forwardly of the support 11 when the front end 15 of the spring 13 is withdrawn from the to a position within the channel 12.

A trigger means is provided consisting of a cord 25 which extends upwardly through the aligned apertures in the headpiece 10 and the support 11, as indicated by the reference numeral 26, and is looped over the spring 13 at a spaced distance from the front end 15, extending downwardly through apertures and formed in a loop indicated by the reference numeral 27 in Figure l positioned beneath the head of the wearer of the headpiece 10.

It will be seen that the cord 25 where it is formed with the loop 27 beneath the chin of the wearer, the latter being indicated by the reference numeral 28 in Figure l, resembles a tie or cord for holding the headpiece 10 to the head of the wearer. Upon pulling the cord 25 the trigger means of the present invention releases the aircraft and an element of surprise is obtained due to the cord being extended under the headpiece 10 and not apparently being connected to the launching means of the present invention.

The front end 15 of the spring 13 constitutes the latch by means of which the simulated aircraft is released forwardly by the contraction of the resilient member 23 which may be commonly constructed of a rubber strip or may be other resilient and stretchable material.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection with a headpiece, it may also be employed with toy articles such as an airport, flat top ship, pistol, bicycle or tricycle handle bars.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a headpiece adapted to cover the head of a wearer, of a catapulting device operatively connected to said headpiece, said device comprising a support arranged exteriorly of said headpiece and fixedly secured to said headpiece intermediate the boundary thereof, said support being formed with a longitudinally arranged channel extending from one end to the other, a body simulating an aircraft normally arranged longitudinally of and in superimposed relation with respect to said channel, normally cocked launching means operatively connected to said support and engageable with said body for efiecting a catapulting movement of said body from said support, and a latch disposed in said channel and having one end portion normally projecting from said channel at one end thereof, said latch being operatively connected to said support for movement of said one end portion from the projected position to a position withdrawn into said channel, said one end portion when in the projected position being engageable with said body for holding the latter in the superimposed position with respect to said channel, and trigger means operatively connected to said latch for moving said one end portion of said latch to the withdrawn position for efiecting the release of said body.

recess 20 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,597,532 Mentzer Aug. 24, 1926 1,887,337 Spotz Nov. 8, 1932 2,654,973 Lemelson Oct. 13, 1953 

